The Blauw Empire's Expansion Over A Year

"... Your soldier units are worth the Empire taking them in, but you, on the other hand..." Ishikyy said. Her feet moved forth, with the Generals following 4 steps behind her, and her royal guards remained in the same formation around her. When she approached the kneeling enemy leader, more royal guards showed up to stand before the other leading figures. They weren't strong enough to stop them if they wanted to do something, but they could immediately self-implode and protect their royal princess with their lives.

“You are the snakes’ heads. What’s the point of keeping those like you?” Blauw Ishikyy was merciless. The enemy leader looked up but didn’t stand up and only showed a baffled expression. Ishikyy’s brightest, cutest azure, aquamarine eyes stared down before walking around him and standing behind his kneeling self. Her Colorful Claw was lifted, facing her face as she played with the contents still entangled onto it, cut them off, and let them fall on the ground behind him.

The sensation brought discomfort to the enemy leader, feeling as if he had given the people she had horrendously mutilated his back all this time. But Ishikyy continued, even as the enemy leader had understood what she wanted with those previous words. Her voice was stern as if she was condemning him, “Failed to understand any of our intentions when we came into this part of the sea Regions, and even tried befriending us like a dog licking someone’s hands and forearm, scared and vulnerable but hoping to gain enough favor.”

“That alone was enough to insult my home and Blauw Empire.” Ishikyy’s left arm slowly relaxed down. Meanwhile, the enemy leader’s eyes closed sorrowfully, already envisioning what she would say next. “Your actions brought just more death to the world. I and anyone who has invaded your home today respect that. But knowing our capabilities, our increasing strength, and the fall of your neighbors… you still chose to fight us?!”

“What vanity is that?!” Ishikyy lifted her Colorful Claw this time, slowly. “Deaths that gave no fruit to any victory, only slightly damaging your enemy’s morale and prowess. Division in your forces. Where are you planning to never attack back? Even if the choice presented itself? Or were you just hoping we’ll surround a fucking square-shaped Regionwide formation, divide our already smaller numbers, and attack you little by little? That would’ve been nice, perfect even, no?”

“All of these… it would have become a tremendous disgrace for any officer in my Empire’s army, let alone a supreme commander like a General or Admiral!” Blauw Ishikyy paused and rigorously semi-shook her head at the ‘tremendous’ word. Her eyes also turned seriously grave. “But any of these would be enough to be put down. In my Blauw Empire, there is no place for people purposely losing our strength and causing lives to be lost just to gain a little something to prepare something bigger… Do you realize now why all of you must die?”

“It’s fine if we take your soldier units. Even if they were terrible, under the Empire’s filtering, all of that wouldn’t matter later, and they would be trained into the Imperial Guards they could become. However… what you did… all of you, and didn’t stop… That is something the Blauw Empire won’t welcome, never!” - “Huaa!!” The soldier units — tens of meters before them — roared, letting the kneeling man tremble as he felt the sensation slightly surging through his skin. Silence ensued.

‘... Was I… really that… …Am I losing all this?’ The kneeling man’s closed eyes gradually opened with difficulty. He looked up at the Imperial Guards, citizens, and other Far East Region’s forces, and he couldn’t help but feel like the world’s light fell upon them. But a quick glance at the sky told him it was barely around 2 AM. His face dropped again, but only for a lil’ while before twisting his neck to look back at the royal princess over his left shoulder and bent back.

“You can do as you please with us, royal princess,” the man’s voice was somewhat trembling, but he held his position robustly. The other leading figures’ eyes opened hella wide. They looked at the royal guards and the Generals with peak Hana-Saga realm and immediately felt death calling upon them. What’s more, they didn’t want to try and see if the black monster was anywhere nearby like others have had in the past.

Putong, putong, thud, thud, thud… Then, one by one, without pride nor servitude— the leading figures knelt behind the royal princess. The mere sight of this brought sensations, rippling through the Empire’s soldier units' skin, and waved between their bodies like a bout of excitement that could not quell itself down. The leading figures were visibly stricken with superficial disbelief, but how could anyone suddenly be told to die for others like this? Especially after sending many to their deaths for, apparently, no reason?

“...” Ishikyy offered no words.

Phhshk! Crrreeesshhhhkk! Crrreeesshhhhkk! Crrreeesshhhhkk~!... splash.

Ishikyy’s Colorful Claw penetrated behind the enemy leader’s nape, crawling around it before taking hold of a crucial extremity of a particular bone and pulling it out. The enemy leader’s vertebral column came into full view, but he was already dead, with half his brains smashed after she penetrated his neck. The enemy leader, like the others, didn’t put any resistance, allowing her to crush his body’s skull with just her Neutral Energy.

She was brand new in the Neutral Encephalon realm while he was in the Hana-Saga realm. This was too much of a difference, and were he to have tried anything at the last minute, only the Generals would’ve been able to save her. However, the enemy leader didn’t bother. He even died without knowing when exactly. Ishikyy had no words to say, nor did they deserve it. This war ended in under 12 hours. How can it be worthy of being seen as the Empire’s enemy?

“...” Ishikyy nodded at the Generals, whose intricately tensed muscles relaxed a bit, and Neutral Energy no longer circulated in an Art technique to protect Her Highness. They nodded at her approvingly before stepping towards the remaining leading figures to finish them off. The royal guards cleared the area when Ishikyy started moving but kept their undivided attention on the enemy until the Generals started executing them. The enemy leading figures were totally locked in place by the Generals then.

… Afterwards, an hour passed, and news of the Lightglassed Region’s surrender reached everywhere. The aboriginal settlement and organizations that couldn’t participate in the war in the north, east, and south were astounded. The alarm to prepare for battle had already been given, but now, the war was over?!

Many understood that after the Undermudmusk and Eyeseeking Regions’ demise, their Region would be next on the Empire’s list. But only after they were 1 day from the time limit did they understand the fear an enemy like the Blauw Empire could cause to a Region whose ruling organization depended on alliances. They weren’t united as the Blauw Empire’s people showcased in the Universal Conveyance’s universal net, forums, and worldwide discussions.

However, they still prepared for war, taking measures they didn’t before, even when they faced a couple wars in the past few hundred years. Nevertheless, the war did initiate, to their dismay. They prepared for battle, ready to die to keep their home as theirs, how it should be. They saw a massive cluster of flames from afar, and their hearts dwindled. From then on, the Lightglassed Region was restless, with the combatant organizations feeling more pressure and less confidence.

When the news of their leading figures’ surrender after tens of millions of lives were lost arrived at their ears and buzzed inside their minds, they were filled with heartache. However, it only lasted 15 minutes or less, when the news of their leading figures’ sacrifice so no more soldier units and cultivators had to be lost. This discouraged anyone from reacting to their total surrender, and everyone from the Region felt like a new page was being flipped.

It wasn’t an entirely good thing for them, as they felt empty from the inside, as if their bodies were becoming like balloons, overinflated and void of substance. However, as the first hour passed, they watched Fauna fly around their organizations or the settlements they hid in, officially notifying the Region of their new, genuine ruler. They felt a sense of order. There was no active change meddling between the Blauw Empire, the Far East Region, and their people. They started feeling as if this change wasn’t as horrible as they thought, and the lives they lost were… too few compared to the Undermudmusk and Eyeseeking Region.

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… In the northern sea Regions’ territory. Where the Empire’s fleets had departed from the Lightglassed Region’s beaches and spread throughout the Regional seas. Four figures stood in the air, facing the Blauw Empire’s new land and sea territory. A medallion message arrived in Heian Ciemnosc’s pockets, which he opened to let everyone listen to a female’s reporting tone, “According to the report when the war started, the Flotilla the First fleet detected near the Undermudmusk Region’s sea territory was indeed from the Eclushisk Contrail Region.”

“It seemed like they wanted to come fight it out and take some land from the ‘corner’ we wouldn’t be taking care of. Unfortunately for them, the First fleet responded swiftly after noticing them. The Fighter Scouts we sent spied enough information, and besides their emblem, we also recognized a Wheel of Presence leading figure in their Flotilla. They were really trying to go for the sneaky mobilization. Our Fighters retreated after watching their several Fleets return to the southeast through the Indomitable Heartspree Region’s ocean.”

“Oh, you’ve done a good job,” Heian Ciemnosc praised the Sands’ work and turned the medallion off. Meanwhile, Pastor Miguel, Head Mo Liao, and the old Sect Master of the Door’s Expiring Breath kept looking at the new land, slowly nodding as they heard the debrief from the assigned supervisor’s medallion. But after the debrief ended, they had the same thought. ‘Did the black monster already know these things? His Spirit Sense… !!!’

“Well, pick yours,” Heian Ciemnosc stored his medallion and said. He gestured towards the Head, whose eyes widened and became pensive. Meanwhile, the others looked attentively at Head Mo Liao when Heian Ciemnosc offered some words as if to remind them what they were meant to do as vassal Kings. “It’s just one of many Regions. Remember it becomes your responsibility to take care of, but the Empire will send people to inspect. And you can still keep a branch in your old territory.”

The Head’s eyes softly jumped before deciding, “I will take the Undermudmusk Region then. I’d like to start a new chapter for my Feathered Valley Pavilion there. There is not much Fauna, but draconic types can develop well there. I’d like to ask for a loan and Craftspeople beforehand if you’ll excuse me after this meeting.”

“Oh, sure,” Heian Ciemnosc nodded and patted the man’s right shoulder. Then, he looked at the other 2 and said, “What will you choose?”

“...” - “...” The Pastor and Sect Master looked at each other and were silent, not knowing if they should go according to order or if they could talk with each other. Heian Ciemnosc rolled his eyes, cracked his neck’s bones, and said with a wave of his right pale hand. “You can just talk and decide who goes first or who takes which Region first before telling me. But remember 2 things: one, I will stick with whatever I heard, and two, you don’t know how many vassals will the Blauw Empire have in the future.”

“!!” The pair’s eyes widened a whole lot more than Heian Ciemnosc expected. He really caught them off-guard. It seemed like he’d have to keep training them a little so their haughtiness from belonging to the Blauw Empire since its ‘rebirth’s’ rise is erased for good. He couldn’t let his apprentices’ entangled besties have a declining vassal organization, right? Meanwhile, Mo Liao crossed his arms, proud of his stance, as he looked at the other 2 fools nearly losing it.

“Thank you, Sir. We’d like to discuss further before deciding.” The Sect Master clasped his hands and bowed towards Heian Ciemnosc. His body trembled, not out of emotion, but tired because of his age. Heian Ciemnosc could read that lifespan swiftly ending and imagined the oldie’s thoughts, so he waved his left hand and nodded a little. The Pastor and Sect Master turned around and engaged in debate. After 2 minutes, the Sect Master returned first, and with impatient but eager and smooth expectations, he licked his lips as he pointed farthest to the east.

“My Sect would like to transfer to the Lightglassed Region. Their people are quite tough, and what’s best for an organization focused on battling with tools than such good seeds? They will be the perfect element my vassalship will need to grow stronger and become worthy of the Blauw Empire.” The Sect Master’s old, tired, and small black eyes looked sideways at Heian Ciemnosc after he finished elaborating.

“...” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the oldie before nodding his head, “I will start preparations for moving your territory along. Don’t worry about the ruling organization on your end. I have already mobilized the Academy. You just worry about the Region you chose. Oh, go ahead and inspect it. I don’t need to be told which remaining, sole, only Region will the Pastor choose.”

“...” The Sect Master bowed as deep as possible before turning around and becoming an obscure green beam whiff of smoke towards the Lightglassed Region. It became less visible to one’s naked eyesight the farther it was. After it disappeared, even from Heian Ciemnosc’s eyesight, several tens of kilometers away, he looked at the Pastor and spoke before the middle-aged Miguel’s smiling lips moved.

“Fernanda is a good girl. If their wedding isn’t fabulous like they deserve, I will haunt you.” Heian Ciemnosc’s words left the little smile on Pastor Miguel’s lips twitching and crooked. After a few seconds, Pastor Miguel responded with a bow. And when he straightened his back again, his smile returned to normal. “The Eyeseeking Region will be a good, new start for my Cult. The Clashing Dust Cult will struggle to remain one of the Empire’s main powerhouses. I hereby swear it on Mother Nature’s presence.”

Ba-dump.

“Oh, well done.” After Heian Ciemnosc, Head Mo Liao, and Pastor Miguel felt their hearts suddenly beat heavily as if nearly breaking apart from the inside, Heian Ciemnosc nodded with crossed arms, still waiting for more. The Pastor opened his jaws in realization and raised his right hand as if swearing again. “The union between the Blauw Empire and the Clashing Cult Dust will also be seen for history to be told, beginning with the marriage between master and vassal. This union will be no small matter, and the world as a whole will envy, praise it, and celebrate it as the first of our historic dates!”

“Oh, leave now,” Heian Ciemnosc satisfyingly said after the Pastor finished babbling stuff. The Pastor and Head nodded at each other and took the same path as they walked through the air side by side, but suddenly, Heian Ciemnosc yelled. “Buy them both Water elemental Earth materials, and I will make them into weapons and equipment!”

‘Ah, the wedding gifts… and from both parties! Wait, no— I still have to put more effort into this. We are the vassals. Hm!’ Pastor Miguel thought before turning around and bowing, saying a bunch of things to compromise to spend the current Clashing Dust Cult’s treasury for these things. At his side, Head Mo Liao looked enviously, but after remembering he now had a whole Region to bring to the Empire’s standards, he became too engrossed in life to care about his own emotions.

“What are you thinking about?” - “Ah! Right, can you even afford the materials?” - “Of course! I… just have to say whose master is my Cult from, and I’ll have a discount. Did you know some restaurants well-known worldwide have started sending good stuff to our Cult? That’s how Pou is close to the Encephalon realm middle stages, hahaha!” - “Ah~, I see. No wonder. That, and the black monster’s help are enough to help her this much… Sigh, only my Pavilion had such Genius.” - “Bah! Don’t be like that. Now that we believe not only titled cultivators by their organizations can reach those higher heights, what can a slow start do to stop them? It’s the world moving that challenges them. They just have to survive…”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc silently crossed his arms as the pair of buddies walked back home, but first to their Fighters. They were not Spirit Magna realm cultivators yet, so they didn’t have a Spirit Aspect to help them advance through the sky like crazy, nor were they Azure Dragon’s Bloodline with a tail that proportioned them with speed boosts. Like with Heian Ciemnosc!

After the duo was far gone and zoomed in the distance in their Fighters, still talking, Heian Ciemnosc took a little box from the various mutated Races’ blood essence the Empire collected during these wars. He didn’t have much hope to find even one, so he was content to see these many were gathered. Although he could tell many had possible mutations in their Race, depending if they were mixed, had an evolutive chain related to their ancestry, or simply by nature, he couldn’t just force anyone to mutate whenever he wanted and steal their blood essence.

The only inconvenience was the former. And after studying races for so long, he knew what he lacked— was knowledge. Otherwise, he would just kill people for no reason, trying to extract their mutated blood essence like the failure of an idiot. When he had enough experience in the world and faced things the current him had no idea about the rest of the world, he might get an inkling of where he belonged in this vast world.

. . .

A year passed, and it was now the 27th year, 8th month, 4th week, and 1st day after the new Change. Heian Ciemnosc was now nearing his 28, and he continued cultivating, already finding it hard to reach the ultimate peak of the Spirit Magna realm.

Before the war against the Lightglassed Region ended, Heian Ciemnosc was still in the Spirit Magna realm 7th stage. He spent a lot of time just cultivating through the early and middle stages, but when he reached the later stages, everything became insanely more complicated. The amount of pure energy he needed was too much. He was now at the peak of the 10th stage, but not quite in between it and the Blossoming realm.

Although he deduced this would not be as complicated for future realms, the fact that others would have just attained their Spirit Aspect in this realm made things harder for someone who basically didn’t have it. However, with how the Blossoming realm worked, he also deduced it would be a rapid, if not semi-instantaneous course for someone like him who seems to have been born with not only a formed Soul but one above the Blooming, which meant a lot.

…

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Let It Rain's note: REEEMIIIIINDEEEER: Soul cultivation. 1.- Neverthought, 2.- Origincloak, 3.- Blooming, 4.- Geist, 5.- Manifestation, 6.- Goldshine, 7.- Crystalshine, 8.- Godly Soul, and 9.- Genesis. It's difficult to go through this when the MC's birth is already a cheat :/.